ECI Faces Fresh Allegations of Voter Fraud in Bengaluru Central; Citizens’ Group Demands Re-Poll
Evidence of Large-Scale Irregularities in Voter List Released
Bengaluru, Aug. 11 — In a sharp escalation of allegations against the Election Commission of India (ECI), citizens’ movement Eddelu Karnataka (Wake Up Karnataka) has claimed that massive electoral fraud has taken place in the Bengaluru Central Lok Sabha constituency, specifically in the Mahadevapura Assembly segment.
At a press conference, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi presented what the group calls “thousands of pieces of documentary evidence” proving large-scale irregularities. These reportedly include creation of duplicate voters, issuance of voter IDs without a father’s name or address, voter cards without photographic identity proof, and the registration of 40–80 voters under the same address. The misuse of Form 6, intended only for new voter registrations, was also cited.
“This is not an allegation—it is an evidence-based presentation,” said Eddelu Karnataka leaders, asserting that the violations amount to criminal manipulation of the electoral process.
Links to a Wider National Pattern
According to Eddelu Karnataka, this is not an isolated case. A July 2024 report by “Vote for Democracy” had already flagged possible voter injection fraud in 79 constituencies across 15 states, including six in Karnataka. Bengaluru Central was one of the constituencies listed.
“The findings here provide a vivid picture of how the rigging was executed and should serve as crucial evidence for investigating other constituencies,” the group stated.
The evidence was reportedly compiled through an extensive manual review of thousands of printed pages after the ECI refused to provide digital voter data. The group credited the investigative team, Bengaluru Central Lok Sabha candidate Mansoor Ali Khan, and Rahul Gandhi for bringing the findings to light.
Demands for Action
Eddelu Karnataka has issued a set of demands to the ECI:
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Immediate re-polling in the Bengaluru Central constituency
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Suspension of officials involved in the alleged irregularities
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A thorough, independent investigation into the voter list manipulation
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Public release of the digital voter data for all constituencies
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An official apology and resignation of responsible ECI officials
“If the evidence is incorrect, the ECI must respond with a point-by-point rebuttal before the people without delay,” the statement read. “If not, it should apologise to the citizens of India for these grave violations.”
The group accused the central government of “conspiring to kill democracy” by manipulating the electoral process, and warned that failure to act would trigger statewide protests.
Silence from the Election Commission
As of now, the Election Commission has not issued a formal response to the allegations. Eddelu Karnataka argues that “measured silence when facts are presented with evidence is a tactic to cover up the crime.”
The statement was jointly signed by Eddelu Karnataka representatives Tara Rao, Mohammed Kunni, Fr. Arun Lewis, K.L. Ashok, and G.M. Veerasangaiah.
Key Quotes
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“This is not an allegation—it is an evidence-based presentation.” — Eddelu Karnataka spokesperson
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“From duplicate voters to IDs without addresses, the fraud is clear and criminal.” — Rahul Gandhi at press meet
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“The ECI must either rebut this point-by-point or apologise to the people of India.” — Eddelu Karnataka statement
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“Measured silence when facts are presented with evidence is a tactic to cover up the crime.” — Eddelu Karnataka leaders
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“If action is not taken, the people will not remain silent. We will take this protest across the state.” — Eddelu Karnataka
